The Real You

Hello, I’m life coach and communications expert Peter Winslow. I have a question for you, and I’d like you to pay attention to your own response. Here goes: When people watch closely and observe how you interact with them, do they ever see the real you?

We may see your facial expressions, the way you address and avail yourself to people, even your body language—but what's going on at a deeper level? What are you communicating to us with your actual presence?

Are we indeed more than our bodies, thoughts, and material experiences would lead us to believe? Do we also have an invisible dimension that broadcasts our intentions to the world?

We may not be consciously aware of it, but in the midst of body and mind is the very essence of that which comprises the wholeness of being, an aspect that spiritual masters often refer to as the “true self.” Every time we interact with others in a tangible way, they say, on deeper levels of being an invisible exchange of tacit communication is taking place.

Are you aware of what you unconsciously communicate to the world? Whether you know it or not, others feel you and there's just no way to fake it. That's a good thing, as we now appear to be moving through an era where the old manipulative practices and concocted illusions just won't fly anymore. The time has come to reassess our intentions, adopt new practices and raise awareness of our authentic selves.

 –Peter Winslow

Say What?

I’m life coach Peter Winslow. Lately we’ve been talking about powerful strategies and deep philosophies that can and do make a huge impact in your life. And now for something completely different. If you’re ready for a little humor, try this on:

In the spirit of levity, here's what I wrote to an emailer who asked me (somewhat sarcastically) about Eckhart Tolle and the power of the “now” moment. If the time is always “now" she asked, then why would we plan to meet for your class this weekend or for that matter—why plan anything at all?

I recognized this as a playful attempt to “stump the chump” and thus responded:

“One may believe we actually plan ahead but in essence we are swept along by great winds of chance, not unlike tidal currents born of the relational circumstances presently sensed and beseeching non-emotively nor resistently to be carried on them and verily, to add our knowledge and strength to the dervish sirocco rather than endeavor in the ineffectual and nugatory vanity of navigating against such forces whilst occasioning to observe the natural processes of ‘what is’ by modeling our outward activities upon the summoning of knowledge not simply of when and how to interpret, but also when not to act, presume, assume, or subsume said actions and their consequences in a grand primeval plan of hindsight and the banality of blissful innocence used to confine the self in an orchestration of reverse inertia intent to tackle whatever positively insists on ‘now’ being dealt with.”

To which she responded: "I see..."

'Nuff said. Should the winds of chance ever sweep you into our community, I look forward to conversing with you as well.

 –Peter Winslow

This is Only a Test

Hello I’m life coach Peter Winslow. The following is a test conceived by Charles Schultz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip. As a life coach I often give this test to my clients as a tool to empower their self-image and self-esteem. Are you ready?

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name six people who have won the Nobel Prize.

5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

How did you do?

The point here is that none of us really remember the headliners of yesterday. Yet these are no second-rate achievers; they are the best in their fields. But the applause eventually dies, awards tarnish, achievements are forgotten, and accolades and certificates get buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name one friend who helped you through a difficult time.

3. Think of five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Name three people who made you feel appreciated.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

That’s because the people who make a major difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones who most care.

The lesson? Don’t look back at the accolades you thought you should have gotten or the awards you should have won. Don’t even look back at the compliments you deserved to receive. Invest instead in a new tool for unlocking your potential and breaking through previous limitations. That tool is your ability to care, and to share it with someone who has never realized what for them is truly possible.

–Peter Winslow

Absolutely Remarkable Mind-Body Scientific Studies

I’m Peter Winslow, a life coach based in Scottsdale AZ. Whether you believe it or not, no matter what condition you are in, it turns out that every individual has the ability to improve their health by tapping into the body’s built-in healing resources.

I’d like to share some recent scientific studies that corroborate this statement. Here are just a few:

1. Through the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, eighty-two high school students in Kosovo participated in a randomized-controlled study which concluded that “…all students had experienced post-traumatic stress, flashbacks, nightmares, and symptoms of withdrawal and numbing in the war-torn area of Kosovo where 90% of the homes were burned and bombed and 20% of the children lost one or both parents.”

The small group settings used healing techniques including meditation, guided imagery, breathing exercises and biofeedback as well as self-expression through words, drawings, and movement. Following the program, the number of students having symptoms indicating post-traumatic stress disorder was significantly reduced from 18% to 100%.

2. Johns Hopkins Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (“CAM”) reported in a survey the following statistics relating to the use of complementary and alternative therapies (referred to as “CAM”):

• 40% of Americans use some form of complimentary or alternative therapy for chronic conditions

• CAM was most frequently used for pain control, and nearly 50% reported using CAM because their prescribed medications were ineffective

• More than half of these patients used dietary supplements or herbal therapies, and almost two-thirds of the patients found CAM to be helpful

• 30% to 70% of cancer patients who are inadequately treated by their physicians turn to CAM in the hope of curing or alleviating their pain

3. The Johns Hopkins Medicine and Digestive Center reports the following excerpts from a summary of integrative psychotherapy:

“We know that our minds can quickly jump to worst-case scenarios, worry, and self-defeating behaviors. We can feel overwhelmed… these thought patterns can lead to illness … as patients come to understand what triggers their pain, anxiousness… old patterns lose their hold… enabling changes… to move beyond prior limitations of thought and attitude.”

Also supporting the use of complementary and alternative therapies is a study of 23,000 adults by the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

4. A study on Aging by Harvard Psychologist Ellen Langer concluded that thoughts about how old you are affect how old or young you feel and how your body responds, as reported in Newsweek. Subjects were put into an environment to simulate living 20 years ago; the participants actually felt as if their age had been turned back two decades. Outside observers noted that the subjects appeared to be younger and healthier than they were before the experiment.

I trust you find these conclusions to have relevance in your own life, and give you confidence that no matter what your condition, you really can improve the situation. 

–Peter Winslow, life coach

Three Helpful Steps for Developing Wealth Consciousness

As a life coach, Peter Winslow is known for driving results. Peter Winslow helps individuals remove the obstacles blocking them from their goals and gain better perspectives on their lives. One of the topics that he sometimes addresses is wealth consciousness. Because modern life often has people in survival mode, they tend to develop a poverty consciousness that is focused on living in scarcity. By developing a wealth consciousness, they can begin to live in abundance.

The first step in developing a wealth consciousness is to let go of the past stories that we use to convince ourselves we are not worthy of abundance. By letting go of the past, individuals become more aware of the present and the fact that they have a birthright to abundance.

Secondly, individuals need to take responsibility for their finances. Too often, people assume that they have money in their account without actually tracking its ebbs and flows. Knowledge is power and individuals begin to feel empowered when they take charge of their financial lives.

Thirdly, people should work on the relationships they have with their future selves. Individuals can imagine their future selves, who have already developed a wealth consciousness, and have a conversation with that person as motivation to keep working toward goals. Over time, we start to become those future selves we imagined.